My Thoughts and Stories

This past February we experienced 50-degree days in Pennsylvania which is unusual for February. As all the snow melted, shoots from spring bulbs peeked their heads through the ground. But in some places dead leaves were impeding the new growth. It’s easy to see how...

If this past year was difficult or challenging, here are a few strategies to make your life not only different, but better. Plan something fun with friends two or more times this year. Social relationships are key to your emotional and spiritual health. Busyness is...

Each year Oxford Dictionaries picks one word that reflects the culture, the mood or the concerns of the year. They picked the word "toxic" for 2018. One reason listed was there was "a 45% rise in the number of times people looked it up on oxforddictionaries.com."...

Picture of me and my son, Kyle It is now five years ago this month (October 2018) that I was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. Twenty-nine years ago, I arrived home in October from a bone marrow transplant for recurring breast cancer. Needless to say, I continue to...

A member of my ReBUILD coaching group recently asked, "Are the personalities biblical?" She wondered if there was a biblical basis for common views about personality differences. As you know, I have written about the personalities in many of my books, including the...

During a recent sermon, my pastor showed us a picture like the one above. Although this was not the point of his message, I began to wonder if it was a picture of a sunset or a sunrise? The only way to know is if I knew the position of the photographer taking the...

Take This Values Awareness Assessment to Clarify What's MOST Important to You? As part of my training to become a life coach, I had to identify my top five values. I didn't think the exercise was important and completed the assignment only because it was a...

Recently I visited two vineyards that produce grapes for champagne. What I remember most from the tour is that the best champagne comes from harsh, even infertile soil. Apparently, limestone soil is especially good for vines because its hardness forces the vines to...

We've had lots of gray skies and above average rain lately. So far, it's even snowed more than once this April. Like most Northeasterners, I yearn for more sun and milder temperatures. But I keep consoling myself that all this precipitation is not bad because "April...

Awhile back, I spent a lovely week visiting friends in sunny Florida. Escaping from the cold, gray northeast weather to the warm, colorful southern landscape gave me a much needed emotional and spiritual lift. Each morning I took a long walk, stopping and...